Kiwi Ally Wollaston has captured a second world cycling crown, with gold in the women's omnium at Ballerup, Denmark.
Early this week, Wollaston, 23, took third in the scratch race, followed by victory in the elimination event, becoming the sixth NZ woman to claim the distinctive 'rainbow jersey' on the track.
Overnight, she has pooled her talents in cycling's equivalent of the decathlon, contested over scratch, tempo, elimination and points formats — the first Kiwi to stand atop the podium twice at the same championships.
The Kiwi dominated the final points race for victory. (Source: Supplied)
Wollaston began with a 10th placing in the scratch race, before taking top points in the tempo and elimination races. She entered the points event level with Norwegian Anita Yvonne Stenberg, but finished third in the first sprint to grab the initiative. Brit Jessica Roberts went a lap ahead to emerge atop the standings, but Wollaston stayed on her gameplan, taking points in six of the eight sprints and winning the double-points dash to the finish.
"I knew, after yesterday, that the form was there, but to put it together on omnium day is a different story," she said. "I am just really happy with today’s performance .
"When Jess went for the lap, I was questioning whether I had it in the final, but I had to try to stay calm and back my last sprint.
"I started the day with not such a great scratch race, but managed to back it up with a few good races after that."
Wollaston claimed an Olympic silver medal as part of the NZ pursuit team at Paris and individual bronze in the omnium. Olympic champion Jennifer Valente of USA finished ninth at Ballerup, while Polish silver medallist Dariza Pikulik did not contest the world championship event.
On the road, Wollaston won the opening stage of Australia's Tour Down Under and two stages of the Volta a Catalunya, riding for her AG Insurance-Soudal-Quickstep pro team.
She now has a rest day, before competing in the individual points race. She joins fellow Kiwis Alison Shanks and Aaron Gate with two world titles, but a third victory would put her in exclusive company — only the men's sprint team of Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins has won three.
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